Read the excerpt from the short story describing a persona; idiosyncrasy of Ella's and answer the question that follows.

"Her hand went up round the back of her neck under her collar anxiously exploratory."

What is the author's most likely intention in this characterization of Ella?

A.) to show how sensitive Ella is to her husband's incessant abuse
B.) to illustrate the squalid conditions in which she and her husband live
C.) to hint at the imbalance of power relative to gender roles at the time
D.) to represent the doubt and insecurity she has about her relationship